The County of Ventura recently celebrated the groundbreaking for the Boating Instruction and Safety Center to be located in Channel Islands Harbor. The groundbreaking ceremony took place Oct. 14. The facility, which will be known as the Channel Islands Boating Center, will be operated by CSU Channel Islands and will offer public education opportunities as well as University recreation programs.

University President Richard Rush described the project as an opportunity for the University to partner with other agencies for the benefit of all county residents and to provide unique recreational opportunities for their students. State Assemblymember Julia Brownley expressed her pleasure at providing an education facility that can benefit the entire community, and the appropriateness of using boater fuel taxes for this purpose.

The project has been in development for a number of years, and is funded by a combination of private donations, grants, and Harbor revenues. When completed, the facility will include classrooms, a conference room, locker rooms, showers, indoor and outdoor boat storage, and an adjacent ADA accessible dock. A variety of exhibits on boating and the marine environment will be located at the interior and exterior of the building. The exhibits will provide information about the natural environment off the coast, including the Channel Islands, Santa Barbara Channel, and the National Marine Sanctuary.

Supervisor John Zaragoza, who represents Oxnard, said of the project, "We are thankful to be able to help make this great resource available to our young people, schools and the public during this time of declining educational budgets. We would especially like to thank our partners who have supported the project over many years of development."

Harbor Director Lyn Krieger noted that the project has been made possible by a number of partners including California Department of Boating and Waterways, The Smith Family Foundation, NOAA Office of Ocean Services, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and California Department of Parks and Recreation. Construction is expected to be completed in October 2012. The building was designed by DesignARC of Santa Barbara, and construction is being completed by HMH Constructors of Camarillo. For more information on the project, visit www.CIBoatingCenter.org.

Channel Islands Harbor serves as a center of recreation, boating, shopping and water sports activities. The harbor is home to three yacht clubs and nine full-service marinas that provide berths for 2,150 boats. It also hosts the Ventura County Maritime Museum. Located at Fisherman's Wharf, the museum is a cultural center dedicated to the interpretation of maritime history through interactive exhibits and educational outreach. For more information on the Channel Islands Harbor, visit www.channelislandsharbor.org.